Compression-starter for combustion-engines.



W. S. EKLUND & W. E. PAYNE.

' COMPRESSION STARTER FOR comausnow mamas.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3,19i5. 1,22%5Q4 Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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W. S. EKLUND & W. E. PAYNE.

COMPRESSION STARTER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLlCATION FILED APR. 3, I915. 1,222,5M Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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W. S. EKLUND & W. E. PAYNE. COMPRESSION STARTER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES,

APPLICATION FILED APR- 3,1915- Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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WALFRID S. EKLUNID AND WILLIAIVI E. PAYNE, OF BONNER, LOUISIANA.

COMPRE$S ION$TABTER FOR COMBUSTION-ENGINES.

Application fi1ec1 April 3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VVALFRID S. EKLUND and XVILLIAM E. PAYNE, citizens of the United States, residing at Donner, in the parish of Terrebonne and State of Louisi ana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compression-Starters for Combustion-Engines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a compression starter for internal combustion engines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of compression starters for combustion engines and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive combustion starter equipped with means for storing pressure from the gases exploded by an engine and provided with adjustable means for cutting off co1nmunication between the engine cylinder and pressure tank during the compression stroke so that the device will not interfere with the operation of the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compression starter of this character adapted to produce a continuous operation of the ratchet mechanism for rotating the engine shaft to effect a cranking or starting of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compression starter equipped with an automatically operable ratchet mechanism provided with a pawl adapted to be moved into engagement with a ratchet wheel on the engine shaft by the rotation of the drum of the starting device and capable of i being automatically thrown out of engage ment with the ratchet wheel by the latter when the engine starts.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully. described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a compression Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. MP, 1917.

Serial No. 19,001.

starter for combustion engines constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the starter illustrating the connec tion between the piston and the drum which operates the ratchet mechanism,

Fig. '3 is an elevation part-1y in section of the drum and ratchet mechanism,

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the drum actuating piston and cylinder,

Fig. 6' is a longitudinal sectional view of the pressure receiving valve,

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the pressure tank,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the controlling valve,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the check valve,

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a gravity acting pressure receiving valve.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a ratchet wheel keyed to the shaft 2 of an internal combustion engine 3 and arranged within a drum at which is mounted for rotary movement on the shaft 2. The drum 4 which is hollow has a removable head 5 secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices to the body portion of the drum and which is connected with one end of a cable 6. The cable 6 which is guided to the drum by a sheave 7 is connected at its other end with a piston 8 which is adapted to rotate the drum as hereinafter fully explained.

The ratchet wheel engaged by a pawl 9 operating within a recess 10 of the drum and mounted on a transverse pivot 11 ex-. tending through the sides of the drum having mounted on its terminals springs 12 which carry friction studs 18. The friction studs 18 which are suitably secured to the free end of the springs 12 extend inwardly through slots 14 in the sides of the drum and frictionally engage the sides of the ratchet wheel to produce an automatic operation of the pawl 9.

When the drum is rotated by the starting cable, the pawl 9 is automatically swung into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by the friction device as the studs 13 embrace and are retarded by the' ratchet wheel. The springs and the studs form spaced arms which are adapted to swing the pawl 9 inwardly and outwardly. Then the engine is started the studs are carried by the ratchet wheel in the forward rotation thereof and operate to swing the pawl 9 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth and the frictional engagement of the studs with the ratchet wheel positively maintain the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel while the engine is in operation.

The drum is provided with an extension 15 preferably formed integral with the solid head or integral side of the drum and provided with a spiral groove 16 which receives a cable 17 secured at one end 18 to the drum and guided to the extension of the latter by a sheave. The other end of the cable 17 is connected to a retractile spring 20 which is distended when the drum is rotated by the starting cable and which automatically returns the drum and the cable to their initial position when the said parts are free to-move backwardly. The retractile spring 20 is fixed at one end and the cable 17 may be secured to the drum on the extension in any desired manner. The piston rod 8 which is hollow extends through an integral end or head of the cylinder 23 which is provided at the rear face with a removable head 2 1 preferably screwed into the cylinder but the head may be detachably secured to the cylinder in any other desired manner. The cylinder 23 is provided with an attaching flange or portion 25 and is secured by bolts or screws to the part to which it is applied in assembling the device. The hollow piston which is secured at its outer end in any suitable manner to the starting cable 6 is provided at the said outer end with outlet or exhaust ports 26 for the escape of fluid pressure for actuating a piston head 27 secured to inner or rear end of the hollow piston 8. The piston head may be of any desired construction and it is provided with a central opening to receive the inner end of the hollow piston rod, and it is provided at opposite sides of the same with openings 28 in which operate stems 29 of check valves 30, provided with bolt guiding wings 31. The said check valves cooperate with valve seats 32 at the front face of the piston head.

The rear ends of the valve stems are connected by a transverse plate 33, being secured in openings 34 thereof by stop pins 35. The valve stems are provided at the front face of the plate 33 with shoulders or collars 36 and the pins are arranged at the rear face of the plate 33 in recesses thereof as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Secured to the plate 33 at the center thereof is an exhaust valve 37 provided with a valve stem 38 extending into the open inner end of the hollow piston rod and provided with guiding wings 39. The check valve or exhaust valve 37 is fitted flat against the front face of the plate 33 and a screw 10 pierces the said plate 33 and fastens the valve to the same.

The cylinder 23 has a stuffing box gland 11 which engages-a metallic packing 12 for the hollow piston rod but any other suitable form of stufling box may of course be employed and the cylinder is provided at its front end with an inlet opening 43 and is connected by a feed pipe at with a pressure tank 15 constructed to receive and sustain high pressures. The passage of fluid pressure through the pipe at is controlled by a valve 4:6 and when pressure is admitted to the cylinder 23 at the outer end thereof it forces the piston head inwardly or rearwardly until the valve connecting plate comes in contact with a rear coiled spring 47 which unseats the check valve and seats the exhaust valve 37 thereby admitting pressure to the inner or rear face of the piston head and forcing the same and the piston rod forwardly or outwardly in the opposite direction until the check valves come in contact with a plate 48 which is secured to the inner coil or convolution of a coiled spring 49 located at the front portion of the cylinder, and adapted to close the check valves 30 and open the exhaust valve 37 to permit the fluid pressure at the inner or rear face of the piston head to escape through the hollow piston rod to the exhaust port 26 and at the same time cause the pressure to act against the front face of the piston head for forcing the piston head inwardly or rearwardly. lVhen the check valves 30 are open, pressure is admitted to both sides of the piston head but as the inner or rear face of the piston head is of greater area than the front face, the piston head will be moved forwardly or outwardly when the check valves 30 are in this position with the exhaust valve 37 closed. By this construction the piston will be continuously reciprocated and the drum and the ratchet mechanism operated until the engine is started. The rear spring 47 is seated in a recess 50 of the head 24 and the plate 48 which has a central opening for the passage of the hollow piston rod is preferably secured to the front or outer coiled spring by having its opposite edges 51 bent or curved around the rear coil or convolution as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. I

The controlling valve l6 which may be mounted in the pipe 1-1 at any point along the same consists of a body portion having a threaded inlet opening 52 and a lateral outlet opening 53, a valve seat 54: being interposed between the inlet and outlet openings and adapted to be engaged by a valve disk 55 located at the pressure side of the valve seat and provided with a stem 56 extending through an opening 57 located in alinement with the inlet opening The inlet opening 52 is preferably at the bottom of the body portion of the valve and the opening 57 which is located at the top of the valve is interiorly threaded for the reception of a threaded sleeve 58 arranged on the valve stem and provided with an operating handle 59 and adapted to be rotated to move the valve disk 55 into and out of en agement with the seat 5% of the valve body. The stem 56 is provided at its outer or upper end with a nut 60 located at the upper side of the lever 59 and securing the stem in the open ing of the sleeve. The stem is also provided at the lower end of the sleeve with a shoulder 61 and said sleeve is adapted to rotate on the stem in moving the valve upwardly and downwardly to and from its seat.

The tank 45 which may be mounted at any desired point is provided with an inlet opening 61 spaced from the outlet opening 69. and connected by a suitable pipe 63 with a pressure receiving valve 6-l, a suitable check valve 65 being mounted in the pipe line 63 at a suitable point to prevent escape of pressure from the tank, 45. Then it is necessary or desirable to connect the pipe line 63 with the cylinder 65 of the engine 3, the form of valve illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings is employed. This pressure receiving valve consists of a body portion 66 provided at the inner end with a nipple 67 and having a lateral outlet 68 located at an intermediate point between the bore or opening 69 of the valve body 66. The valve body is provided in its bore or opening 69 with a valve seat 70 located preferably at the outer end of the nipple 67 and interposed between the inner end of the bore or opening 69 and the lateral outlet with which the pipe 63 is connected. The bore or opening 69 receives the valve 71 arranged to engage the valve seat and guided in the bore or opening 69 and enga ed by a coiled spring 72. The coiled spring (2 which is arranged in the bonnet 72 of the valve is engaged by an adjusting screw 73 adapted to vary the tension of the spring which is of suflicient strength to maintain the check valve 71 closed during the compression stroke of the piston of the cylinder 65 so that the starting device will not interfere with the operation of the engine. When a charge is exploded in the cylinder 65 the exploded gases force the valve 71 open against the action of the coiled spring 72 and pass into the pressure tank 45 which in practice is designed to be provided with a suitable safety valve, not shown.

When, however, it is possible to mount the pressure receiving valve upon the top of a cylinder the valve illustrated in Fig. 10 of the drawings is employed. This valve consists of a body 74- provided at its lower end with a nipple 75 and having a lateral outlet 76. The check valve or valve proper 7'7 is maintained closed by gravity and is provided at the upper end with a stem 78 which is guided in a socket or recess in a screw cap 7 9. The pressure tank which is provided at the bottom with a drain plug 80 has extension pipes 81 projecting upwardly from the bottom of the tank at the inlet and outlet openings 61 and 62 to prevent grit from the tank entering the pipes connected to the said openings 61 and 62. The pipe line 63 may be equipped with a valve 46 similar to the pipe line a l heretofore described.

.Vhat is claimed is 1. A starting device of the class described includin a drum, means for transmitting motion from the drum to the shaft of the engine, a starting cable connected with the drum and adapted to rotate the latter, a cylinder, a piston operating in the cylinder and provided with a hollow piston rod connected with the starting cable, said piston rod having an exhaust port, a valve carried by the piston for controlling the passage of fluid pressure from one side of the piston head to the other, an exhaust valve for controlling the passage of fluid pressure through the hollow piston rod, and means for automatically operating the valve to produce a continuous reciprocation of the piston head and the piston rod.

2. A starting device of the class described including a cylinder, a piston head operating within the cylinder and provided with a hollow piston rod having an exhaust port, a check valve carried by the piston head for controlling the passage of fluid pressure from one side of the said head to the other, an exhaust valve for controlling the passage of fluid pressure through the hollow piston rod, means for automatically operating the said valve to produce a continuous reciprocation of the piston head and the piston rod and means for transmitting motion from the piston rod to the shaft of an engine.

3. A starting device of the class described including a cylinder, a piston operating within the cylinder and provided with a check valve for controlling the passage of fluid pressure from one face of the piston to the other, an exhaust valve for controlling the exhaust of fluid pressure from the cylinder, aid exhaust valve being carried by the piston and means located at opposite ends of the cylinder for automatically operating said valves to produce a continuous reciprocation of the piston, and means for transmitting motion from the piston to the shaft of an engine.

4:. A starter of the class described including a cylinder, a piston head operating in the cylinder, and provided with opposite check valves for controlling the passage of pressure from one side of the piston head to the other, a hollow piston rod extending from the piston head and provided with an exhaust port, an exhaust valve connected with the check valves and arranged to control the passage of fluid pressure through the hol- 10W piston rod and means located at 0pposite ends of the cylinder for automatically operating the said valves to produce a continuous reciprocation of the piston head, and means for connnunicating motion from the piston rod to the shaft of an engine.

5. A starter of the class described including a cylinder, a piston head operating in the cylinder and provided with a hollow piston rod forming an exhaust passage and having an exhaust port, check valves carried by the piston head for controlling the passage of fluid pressure from one side of the piston head to the other, a plate or member connecting the check valves, an exhaust valve connected with the said plate or member and arranged to control the passage of fluid pressure through the hollow piston rod and springs located at opposite ends of the cylinder and arranged to automatically operate the valves to produce a continuous reciprocation of the piston head.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

VALFRID S. EKLUND. lVILLIAM E. PAYNE.

lVitnesses GUY OSBORNE, CHAS. P. GABLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

